Fake drugs causing Steven-Johnson syndrome and other skill-cell death have killed 169 people in the past 19 years and sickened more than 204,000, a study reveals.

Food and Drug Admi-nistration chief Chatri Banchuin says people buy most counterfeit drugs over the Internet and in border areas. These medicines contain toxins and unknown chemical compounds that can cause adverse reactions and kill. Overuse of these drugs is another reason they cause harm.

FDA statistics

Between 1988 and 2007 the FDA found Steven-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and liver disorders such as hepatitis are the most common side effects.

People taking allopurinol to treat gout, co-trimoxazole for bacterial infections and phenytoin for trigeminal neuralgia can suffer Steven-Johnson syndrome. Fake amoxycillin and diclofenac can suffer toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Last year alone there were 1,560 cases of angiodema caused from taking fake ibuprofen, diclofenac and amoxycillin.

Chatri says people should buy drugs only from dispensaries.